If you want to put one individually wrapped treat in each advent calendar compartment, choose individually wrapped Dutch breakfast cake. A large pack is better if you’re dividing it into portions for a group, provided you can store the portions and they fit in the compartments. Whichever option you choose, check how many treats you need and the ingredients in the specific variety.
With individually wrapped Dutch breakfast cake, there’s no need to cut or rewrap it yourself. Jumbo lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its Peijnenburg Naturel 10-pack; just check that a wrapped slice will fit in your calendar.
If you’re filling several calendars or putting treats out on a plate, you can divide a larger pack into portions yourself. Jumbo offers larger packs of both sliced and unsliced cake. The most practical choice depends on how many portions you need and how much room there is in the compartments.
Check the ingredients, allergen information and nutritional details for the exact variety. If you’re looking for a particular sugar or fibre content, compare the figures per 100 g with the amount you’ll actually be handing out.
When choosing Dutch breakfast cake for an advent calendar, first decide whether each treat needs to stay individually wrapped or whether you can portion it yourself. Then consider the quantity, nutritional information and ingredients that matter to the recipients.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Individually wrapped portions | Count the individually wrapped pieces and measure both a wrapped portion and the calendar compartment. | If the cake won’t be handed out until later, I want to put an individually wrapped treat in every compartment. Around 40% of consumers prioritise individual wrapping. |
| Quantity and portioning | Compare the net weight and choose between sliced and unsliced cake; consider how you’ll store the portions once the pack is open. | If I’m filling several calendars, I want enough cake to divide up without relying on individually wrapped portions. For around 30% of consumers, being able to portion it themselves is the top priority. |
| Nutritional information | Compare the sugar and fibre per 100 g and per intended portion on the label for the exact variety. | When I’m looking for a particular variety, I want to know what’s in the portion I’m handing out. Around 20% of consumers give nutritional information top priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the current ingredients list and allergen information, and check for any warning about the possible presence of allergens. | When treats are for different people, I want to check first that the cake I’ve chosen is suitable for them. Checking the ingredients is the top priority for around 10% of consumers. |
A large pack doesn’t automatically contain individually wrapped treats. If you cut or portion the cake yourself, you’ll also need to consider portion size and how to store it once opened.
Count how many treats you need and measure the compartments before choosing a pack. Only buy a large pack if you can portion the cake yourself.
You may also need bags, labels or storage materials for individual calendar portions.
Ingredients, potential allergens and nutritional values can vary from product to product. The packaging of one Dutch breakfast cake therefore doesn’t tell you exactly what’s in another.
Before handing it out, read the label for the exact variety, especially if any recipients need to avoid specific ingredients.
A brand to consider if individually wrapped slices are important. Jumbo lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its Naturel 10-pack.
Jumbo’s range includes different types of Dutch breakfast cake, including larger packs of sliced and unsliced cake.
PLUS lists Korenlanders Bakkers ontbijtkoek naturel in a 500 g pack, an option to consider if you want to portion the cake yourself.
These Dutch breakfast cakes suit two ways of handing out treats: a sliced pack to portion yourself, and cake for individual treats. For an advent calendar, always check the dimensions, the number of portions you need and the current product label.
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For anyone who wants to divide Dutch breakfast cake between a group or several calendars. Remember to store the cake properly once opened, and check that your portions will fit in the compartments.
Before sharing, read the ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.
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For anyone who wants to hand out individual portions of Dutch breakfast cake without cutting it themselves. Check how many portions you need and whether a wrapped portion will fit in the calendar compartment.
The sugar claim in the product name is not clear-cut. Base your choice on the nutritional information, ingredients and allergen information on the current packaging.
Choose individually wrapped Dutch breakfast cake if each compartment needs to contain one wrapped treat; choose a large pack if you can portion and store it yourself. Either way, measure the compartment and count how many treats you need. Jumbo lists ten individually wrapped 28 g slices in its Peijnenburg Naturel 10-pack, but the weight alone won’t tell you whether a wrapped slice will fit.
Before handing it out, check the ingredients and allergen information on the exact packaging. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority explains allergen labelling for prepacked foods; don’t make assumptions based on Dutch breakfast cake as a category.
That claim doesn’t replace the nutritional table for the variety you’ve chosen. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre gives figures of 7.3 g of sugars and 3.6 g of fibre per 30 g slice for Dutch breakfast cake with less sugar, compared with 11.2 g of sugars and 1.1 g of fibre for a regular slice of the same size. These are reference values, not figures that apply to every brand or pack.
You can’t assume that’s the case for every Dutch breakfast cake. The agreement on the use of baker’s salt, published in the Government Gazette in 2008, sets out arrangements for using iodised salt in bakery products. However, it doesn’t confirm the type of salt or amount of iodine in a specific Dutch breakfast cake. If you need this information to make your choice, ask the manufacturer for details about the specific product.
